High resolution organic light-emitting diode devices, displays, and related methods

Abstract

A method of manufacturing an organic light-emitting diode display comprising a substrate having a well-defined by a confinement structure, the well containing a first electrode and a second electrode spaced from each other, wherein the method may comprise depositing a light-emissive material in the well via ink-jet printing, thereby forming a substantially continuous light-emissive material layer in the well from the deposited light-emissive material, the light-emissive material layer spanning and contained within boundaries of the well, wherein a surface of the light-emissive material layer that faces away from the substrate has a non-planar topography. The method may further comprise positioning a common electrode over the light-emissive material layer.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method, comprising:
 depositing, via ink-jet printing, a continuous light-emissive material layer on a substrate over a first electrode and a second electrode disposed within a confinement structure on the substrate and spaced from each other, the continuous light-emissive material layer covering the first and second electrodes and spanning an area defined by the confinement structure, wherein a surface of the continuous light-emissive material layer that faces away from the substrate has a non-planar topography; and 
 disposing an additional electrode over the continuous light-emissive material layer. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising forming a hole conducting layer between the first and second electrodes and the continuous light-emissive material layer. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising forming the confinement structure on the substrate. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein forming the confinement structure comprises:
 forming a continuous layer on the substrate; and 
 patterning the continuous layer using a mask to remove portions of the continuous layer to form the confinement structure. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the continuous light-emissive material layer is deposited with a thickness that is less than a thickness of the first and second electrodes. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein depositing the continuous light-emissive material layer via the ink-jet printing comprises depositing droplets having a volume of 10 pL or less. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the continuous light-emissive material layer is formed over the first and second electrodes and over a gap between the first electrode and the second electrode. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the confinement structure is formed partially over the first and second electrodes. 
     
     
       9. A method, comprising:
 forming a confinement structure on a substrate by forming a continuous layer on the substrate and patterning the continuous layer using a mask to remove portions of the continuous layer; 
 depositing, via ink-jet printing, a first continuous light-emissive material layer on the substrate over a first plurality of electrodes disposed within the confinement structure at a first location on the substrate; 
 depositing, via ink-jet printing, a second continuous light-emissive material layer on the substrate over a second plurality of electrodes disposed within the confinement structure at a second location on the substrate; 
 disposing an additional electrode over the first continuous light-emissive material layer, the second continuous light-emissive material layer, or both. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first location defines a first pixel and the second location defines a second pixel. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the confinement structure comprises a plurality of wells, the first location is at a first well of the confinement structure, and the second location is at a second well of the confinement structure. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the confinement structure is formed partially covering at least one electrode of the first and second plurality of electrodes at each of the first and second locations. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising forming a definition layer between the confinement structure and at least one electrode of the first and second plurality of electrodes at each of the first and second locations. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 9 , wherein depositing the first and second continuous light-emissive material layers comprises depositing droplets having a volume of 10 pL or less. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 9 , wherein each electrode of the first plurality of electrodes is separated from the other electrodes of the first plurality of electrodes by first gaps, and the first continuous light-emissive material layer is formed over the first gaps, and wherein each electrode of the second plurality of electrodes is separated from the other electrodes of the second plurality of electrodes by second gaps, and the second continuous light-emissive material layer is formed over the second gaps. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising forming a surface feature in one or more of the first or second gaps. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the surface feature contains electrical elements. 
     
     
       18. A method, comprising:
 forming a confinement structure on a substrate, the confinement structure partially covering at least one electrode, among a first plurality of electrodes, a second plurality of electrodes, and a third electrode, on the substrate at each of a first, second, and third location, wherein each electrode of the first and second plurality of electrodes is separated from other electrodes of the first and second plurality of electrodes by a gap, and a surface feature is formed in each gap; 
 depositing, via ink-jet printing, a first continuous light-emissive material layer having a first emission wavelength on the substrate over the first plurality of electrodes, gaps, and surface features within the confinement structure at the first location on the substrate; 
 depositing, via ink-jet printing, a second continuous light-emissive material layer having a second light emission wavelength on the substrate over the second plurality of electrodes, gaps, and surface features within the confinement structure at the second location on the substrate; 
 depositing, via ink-jet printing, a third continuous light-emissive material layer having a third light emission wavelength on the substrate over the third electrode within the confinement structure at the third location on the substrate; 
 disposing an additional electrode over all or a portion of the first continuous light-emissive material layer, the second continuous light-emissive material layer, and the third continuous light-emissive material layer.